TeraSignal Announces Industry's First CMOS Intelligent Re-Drivers to Transform AI and Compute Interconnects

Innovative CMOS Re-Driver for 800G Linear Pluggable Optical (LPO) Modules Reduces Power By Up to 50% and Adds Link Training and Diagnostics to Enable Mass Adoption of LPO Modules

IRVINE, Calif. , March 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- OFC 2024 – Setting a new milestone in optical silicon, TeraSignal today announced a novel intelligent re-driver solution that addresses the evolving needs for scaling AI bandwidth in data centers. The new TS8401/02 intelligent 400G (4x100G) PAM4 modulator driver is the industry's first CMOS solution with digital link training and link monitoring for 800G linear pluggable optical (LPO) modules. This re-driver innovation is poised to set new optical interconnect standards in power efficiency, low latency, and reliability for self-optimizing intelligent components for AI deployments in data centers.

TeraSignal's new TS8401/02 intelligent modulator driver addresses the limitations of traditional LPO modules, which unlike DSP-based re-timers, have lacked the capabilities for automatic adaptation, digital link monitoring and link training, making them challenging to integrate, interoperate, and deploy efficiently. By leveraging the existing microcontroller (MCU) in the LPO module, the TS8401/02 automates essential adjustments and introduces link diagnostics and link accountability, transforming LPO modules into adaptive link optimizing systems.

Central to the TS8401/02 IRD's design is its intelligent monitoring, diagnostics, and automation capabilities. It introduces an array of industry-first features, including digital eye monitor for real-time link performance measurements and link training with host SerDes, setting a new industry standard for optical module performance and reliability. This breakthrough facilitates a closed-loop system that not only identifies but also rectifies link issues in real time, ensuring uninterrupted, high-quality data transmission across the board. The advanced CMOS implementation reduces power consumption by as much as 50% compared to existing Silicon Germanium (SiGe) solutions and significantly boosts link reliability and performance through statistical link monitoring and adaptive control capabilities.

"TeraSignal's intelligent CMOS solution for LPO modules redefines high-speed interconnects, merging low latency and power efficiency with unmatched link performance measurement capabilities, diagnostics, and quick time to market," said Dr. Armond Hairapetian, founder and CEO of TeraSignal. "We are committed to delivering IRD solutions with superior performance over both fiber and copper interconnects. By incorporating intelligence within the re-driver, we have introduced a new class of AI-centric CMOS devices that offer DSP-like features with significantly lower power and the lowest possible latency, setting a new industry standard for high-speed interconnects."

Product Highlights

• Intelligent 400G (4x100G) PAM4 modulator driver with integrated digital eye monitoring and link training.
• Fully programmable linear output driver and equalizer for unparalleled signal integrity.
• Automatic gain control supporting a wide range of input and output voltages.
• More than 50% lower power consumption compared to non-CMOS drivers, significantly reducing operating costs and environmental impact.
• Compact form factor and integration-ready design for seamless deployment in QSFP-DD/OSFP optical modules.

Additional TS8401/02 Benefits

• Lower Power Consumption: Leveraging advanced design techniques in CMOS, the TS8401/02 operates at significantly lower power levels than existing DSP and SiGe-based solutions, marking a new standard in energy efficiency.
• Reduced Latency: Due to their discrete-time nature, DSP-based re-timers must slow down the data traffic to perform the required data conversion, serialization/deserialization, and filtering functions. By eliminating the latency-causing building blocks in the continuous-time signal path, TS8401/02 significantly reduces data transmission latency.
• Digital Eye Monitor: The on-board digital sampling scope in the TS8401/02 provides unparalleled flexibility and real-time insights into link performance, ensuring optimal signal integrity and reliability.
• Link Training with Host SerDes: The TS8401/02 supports seamless integration and automatic configuration with host systems, further streamlining the deployment and operation of high-speed optical links.

Availability
TeraSignal is now shipping samples of the TS8401 and TS8402 re-drivers to early access customers and partners. The company is working closely with leading module vendors that are integrating the TS8401/02 into their LPO solutions. The TS8401 features wire bond pads, while the TS8402 offers the same capabilities in a flip-chip version. Both devices are designed with TeraSignal's lowest-power CMOS technology. Contact us for samples and pricing.

TeraSignal is showcasing its new IRD solution at OFC in San Diego, Calif. (booth #5740) March 24-28, 2024.

About TeraSignal
TeraSignal is pioneering the fusion of electronics and photonics to transform AI and compute interconnects with its Intelligent Re-Driver (IRD) technology. TeraSignal's IRD solutions, designed in CMOS technology with digital eye monitor diagnostics and link training, aim to overcome the limitations of current pluggable optical modules by reducing power consumption and latency, while enhancing signal integrity for 100G to 200G per lane connections. TeraSignal's innovative approach to re-drivers addresses the critical challenges of high-speed data transmission, offering lower-power, lower latency, and reliable solutions for the deployment of AI in data centers. To learn more about TeraSignal's intelligent silicon solutions for AI bandwidth, visit terasignal.com.

TeraSignal, the logo, Intelligent Re-Driver (IRD) technology are among the trademarks of TeraSignal. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE TeraSignal